September 28, 2007

World's brightest — and most expensive — bike light

Like most athletic gear these days, bike lights are getting lighter, more complex and more expensive.

This fall, a few well-padded bikers are lining up to buy the "Betty" [above], a blindingly bright light that retails for as much as $1,185. The Betty, made by Germany's Lupine Lighting Systems, generates so much heat that if a rider isn't moving fast enough to create wind, the light will automatically start dimming itself to prevent the light from overheating. At 1,400 lumens, it's about as bright as a car's headlight, the company says. There's a wait-list of up to two weeks for the light, which is made up of seven LEDs.

Lloyd Chambers, a software engineer in Portola Valley, Calif., used to commute home from work with two military-grade tactical flashlights strapped to his bike and helmet. But these days, he's strapped a Betty on his helmet instead. He says it's impossible that anyone could miss him, but he gets strange responses from pedestrians. Recently, cycling home from work, he turned to look at a pair of teenagers walking into a grocery store. Says Mr. Chambers: "I heard one say 'What is that? A car driving sideways?'"
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